Cornes: Richmond need a new captain, Taranto could do it

Kane Cornes and Sam Edmund have done a temperature check on who should be captaining all 18 AFL clubs.

After a hectic trade period, which saw a number of current captains leave - or attempt to leave - the SEN Breakfast hosts had their say on who should lead and who should move on.

The vast majority are unlikely to make changes heading into the 2026 season but players and staff will evaluate their individual team values in the new year before voting on who best represents them.

So who leads well and which clubs need a change?

Jordan Dawson

Cornes: "Dawson is an exceptional leader, one of the better captains in the league now and could easily have been All-Australian. He is 28 so can do this for four of five more years. They would want to start to fast track some others under him but not sure who the candidates under him are."

Summary: Stick with Dawson.

Lachie Neale and Harris Andrews

Edmund: "I heard a whisper they might change the model and they go with one or one is replaced and they stay with the co-captain set up."

Cornes: "It's hard to change when it’s worked so well but Andrews has emerged as a generational leader. The model has been terrific and I don’t generally like the co-captain model.

"Spectacular success at Brisbane though. Andrew is a signature leader at the club. He deserved to lead it in his own right. I doubt they would change after a premiership."

Summary: Stick with Andrews and Neale.

Patrick Cripps

Cornes: "I wouldn’t be opposed to a change but you would want to have Sam Walsh’s signature. He is the next captain and can lead the next generation. His burden is getting his body right as well as captaining.

"Carlton are in a challenging spot form a culture point of view. Play it safe, Cripps one more year and get Walsh to commit. Change it under Michael Voss or a new coach if things don’t work out."

Summary: Stick with Cripps... for now.

Darcy Moore

Cornes: "Is it this year for Nick Daicos? It’s a big call. I think the safe thing is Moore again, it’s in safe hands. Do you want to play safe or have a fraction more flair? He is too easy to play against (Moore). He has good games, the final against Adelaide for example but far too often he is exposed.

"Far too often he gets bags of goals kicked on him. I would change but I think they will play it safe."

Summary: Change to Daicos... but will they?

__Zach Merrett __

Cornes: "It won't be Merrett, can't be and shouldn’t be. You can't have the captain trying to burn the place down which is what he was trying to do. Andrew McGrath is the obvious choice for a few years. He speaks so well and his form was good in the back end of last year.

"They will put processes in place to fast track the next gen of leader. Sam Durham is the obvious one for me. They're in a good space with a couple of young ferocious leaders coming through."

Summary: Change to McGrath then Durham.

Alex Pearce

Cornes: "I was surprised when he was named captain. Alex Pearce has really impressed me, there won't be a change there. Caleb Serong and Andrew Brayshw are young. I’ll be surprised if he is not captain soon but Pearce for a couple more years."

Summary: Stick with Pearce.

Patrick Dangerfield

Cornes: "I doubt they will play him every week which isn’t ideal. But who is it? I don’t see an obvious answer, Jeremy Cameron? Why not? He plays like a captain. They have some work to do in terms of identifying the succession plan. Maybe it's Max Holmes but he doesn’t appear a natural leader to me."

Summary: Stick with Dangerfield... for the time being.

Noah Anderson

Cornes: "An excellent decision and one I questioned at the time. What a great decision. He was terrific in accepting that responsibility. If you think someone is too young, look at Noah Anderson - a great called from Dimma."

Summary: It's Anderson's job for a while.

Toby Greene

Cornes: "I have said it was perhaps time to relieve Greene but it’s all in good hands. It will be Tom Green’s, I would be ok if that was now but it feels like Greene wants to do it for another year."

Summary: Stick with Toby then hand to Tom.

James Sicily

Cornes: "For me, Will Day is the spiritual leader of Hawthorn, not dissimilar to Zak Butters at Port. If you went to see the Hawks without knowing or seeing the game before, you’d think Day was the captain.

"James Sicily, did a good job in the back half of the year and has grown into the role nicely. There's a perception he lets his team down but not really. He's in control, I would love to see Day but he has other focuses (getting fit)."

Summary: Stick with Sicily.

Max Gawn

Edmund: "You look down the list and they’ve lost everyone. There is no one long term. There will have to be a bridging captain there."

Cornes: "Jack Viney has done it and could do it but that doesn’t solve a problem of the young ones. Gawn is one of the best leaders we have ever had in the game but like Geelong they need to fast track some others."

Summary: Stick with Gawn... but who is next?

Jy Simpkin

Edmund: "They're on the record as saying Simpkin won't be captain."

Cornes: "It's too early for Harry Sheezel, it’s Nick Larkey for sure, I'd love to see him captain the club then Harry long term. Larkey plays with his heart and soul. He is one of the players I admire most in the league. He deserves to be captain and it will be awkward for Simpkin. Good time for a change."

Summary: Change to Larkey.

Connor Rozee

Cornes: "Butters could do it too. They love Connor Rozee, Butters should be the other one but you can't give it to him knowing he's probably leaving."

Summary: Stick with Rozee.

Toby Nankervis

Cornes: "Wouldn’t mind seeing a change here. Tim Taranto could do it, he could be long term. You can't question his efforts. It will make people laugh but I think he could be a great leader. I have questioned his damage by foot, I've always admired the way he leads."

Edmund: "He has played a very important role in a very young group. I’d stick with Nank and wait for a long term option."

Summary: Stick with Nank. But is Taranto a serious option?

Jack Steele

Cornes: I can't have it (Cal Wilkie) because he is shopping himself around in the off-season, how is it different to Simpkin? He clearly considered leaving. Wilkie has lost me. It's unusual to have a potential captain of your club to go look at other clubs.

"Merrett cant be captain for the same reason as Wilkie and Simpkin. Wilkie has tried to milk the club, force them into paying him more and it has not been a team first action that befits a captain."

Summary: Can't be Wilkie. So who?

Callum Mills

Cornes: "Errol Gulden, I think he looks every bit the captain. He is so young but he seems 25. Would be an excellent captain."

Summary: Change to Gulden.

Liam Duggan & Oscar Allen

Cornes: "Liam Baker, it’s pretty simple decision."

Summary: Change to Baker.

Marcus Bontempelli

Cornes: "We will leave it in his capable hands I think, no need to change."

Summary: Stick with Bont.